


the flame and the dance

by notallbees



Category: The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller
Genre: Alpha Patroclus, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cunnilingus, Jealousy, Knotting, M/M, Mating Bond, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Multiple Orgasms, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega Achilles, Oral Sex, Past Infidelity, Pregnancy Kink, Reunions, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:13:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27922825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notallbees/pseuds/notallbees
Summary: He was halfway across the gardens before Achilles caught up to him, but there was no hiding from him. Achilles could scent him in a crowded room, just as Patroclus had known him before he recognised him in that girlish dress."Wait, please!" Achilles called, hurrying up behind him. He caught hold of Patroclus's wrist. "Patroclus."When Patroclus turned back, Achilles's eyes were full, his expression wretched. "You lay with her?" Patroclus whispered in a hoarse voice.A rewrite of the scenes following the reveal of Achilles' presence on Scyros.
Relationships: Achilles/Patroclus (Song of Achilles)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 220





	the flame and the dance

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lhtkd](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lhtkd/gifts).



> if you don't know by now, I generally write omegas with vaginas and alphas with dicks, regardless of canonical gender. please avoid if that's not your thing.

Patroclus stormed from the palace, his breath seizing in his chest, his hand still tingling where Achilles had held onto him. He took deep, gasping breaths as the cool night air rushed over him, trying to staunch the panic that rose within him, the numbing horror of knowing that Achilles had lain with another. 

"Patroclus!" 

He was halfway across the gardens before Achilles caught up to him, but there was no hiding from him. Achilles could scent him in a crowded room, just as Patroclus had known him before he recognised him in that girlish dress. 

"Wait, please!" Achilles called, hurrying up behind him. He caught hold of Patroclus's wrist. "Patroclus."

When Patroclus turned back, Achilles's eyes were full, his expression wretched. "You lay with her?" Patroclus whispered in a hoarse voice.

"I didn't want to," Achilles said fiercely, moving closer to him. "Mother said—oh please, please forgive me. If I didn't, she would never have told you where to find me."

Patroclus bit the inside of his cheek sharply. Normally, he might hold himself back, spare Achilles's feelings, but not this time. "She didn't tell me," he spat. "She would never have told me."

Achilles's eyes widened, but Patroclus could see that he believed it. Perhaps a part of him had known it all along. Achilles lowered his gaze, staring at the ground for several moments, and exhaled heavily. "You must despise me."

His words took the wind out of Patroclus's sails at once. "What?" he breathed, turning to him fully. "Never." He reached out, cupping Achilles's face. "Achilles, I could never."

"But I betrayed you," Achilles whispered. 

Patroclus paused. "It was not your choice?"

Achilles shook his head fiercely. "Never," he said, brow creasing. "I hated it. Lying there while she rutted against me—" His words made Patroclus grimace, turning his stomach, and Achilles must have noticed because he quickly changed tack. "I think Mother wanted Deidameia's get on me, so that I would have to stay here, instead of going off to fight."

Patroclus's eyes widened. "Then—she hid you here to avoid the war?" he asked, breathless. "It was not...because of me?"

Achilles looked sorrowful. "No," he said. "But I think she would not have been in such a hurry to marry me off, if not for you." He reached for Patroclus, clutching his forearms tightly. "Forgive me. Forgive me, my heart."

"There is nothing to forgive," Patroclus murmured, reaching up to tuck one of Achilles's girlish curls behind his ear. He ducked his head, and Achilles sighed as they kissed finally, all the months of separation falling away to leave only them, standing together in Lycomedes's garden as night fell. 

"Take me to bed," Achilles murmured, putting his arm around Patroclus's neck and leaning in to nuzzle the scent gland beneath his ear. "I've missed your scent on me." He smiled, voice lowering to a whisper. "I've missed the way you fuck me."

Patroclus exhaled heavily: half-laughter, half-desire. "Lycomedes won't complain?" 

"Deidameia put no claim on me," Achilles said fiercely, turning his head and pulling his curled hair aside to bare the unbroken skin of his neck. "I wouldn't let her. And her clumsy fumblings came to naught." Letting his hair fall again, he reached for Patroclus's hand, laying it over his stomach. "I won't bear anyone's child but yours."

—

They went in to talk with Lycomedes, who seemed at first as though he might attempt to insist upon the union between Achilles and Deidameia. But when it became clear that Achilles was going into heat, there and then, Lycomedes conceded that the likelihood of Achilles already carrying Deidameia's child was greatly diminished, and sent them away to one of the guest chambers. 

"Patroclus," Achilles sighed, as soon as the door was closed behind them. 

Laughing, Patroclus scooped him up and carried him to the bed, then set about stripping him out of his dress and jewelry. Achilles was flushed and pliant, and his attempts at helping Patroclus to undress them both were more of a hindrance. 

"Peace, for pity's sake," Patroclus finally said, laughing as Achilles unintentionally thwarted his attempt to remove a delicate necklace that had become entangled in his hair. "It will be morning before I get my mouth on you at this rate."

With a sigh, Achilles finally fell still, obedient for once in his life, and let Patroclus rid them of the remainder of their clothing. They collapsed into bed together at last, doing nothing for a time but running their hands over one another, as though trying to memorise the shapes of each other's bodies all over again, not that either one of them could ever have forgotten. 

When they kissed at last, it was like the answer to some unasked question, and the start of a new one all at once. They poured themselves into one another, desperate and hungry, fingers fumbling to bring one another pleasure. They each gave a groan as Patroclus sank his knuckles into the warm honey between Achilles's legs, and Achilles sought his mouth and kissed him hard. 

After watching Achilles ride his fingers for a minute or two, Patroclus slid down the bed so that he could pleasure him with his mouth instead, giving a groan at the taste of him, like the briny air at Phthia, like the waters of his mother. 

"Patroclus," Achilles sighed, threading his fingers through Patroclus's hair, while his hips rose and fell like the ocean's swell. "I would not let anyone do this for me but you."

Patroclus closed his eyes, heartsick and impossibly grateful. He'd heard the soldiers say that it was not manful, to pleasure an omega this way, but Achilles spoke as though it was an honour to taste him, as indeed it was. Determined to milk every ounce of pleasure from him, Patroclus drew Achilles to his peak several times, each time withdrawing before he could crest the final wave. He achieved this perhaps three times before Achilles, by this point trembling with arousal and the force of his heat, gave a wordless howl and kicked him savagely in the thigh. 

From a startled yelp, Patroclus started to laugh. "That hurt, you know," he rebuked gently. 

Achilles huffed at him. "Then don't tease me."

Patroclus grinned, and moved up to kiss him, sliding his hand between Achilles's legs again. "I don't remember you being this impatient," he murmured.

"Yes you do," Achilles said, reaching for his wrist and jamming Patroclus's fingers deeper. 

"Alright," Patroclus agreed, laughing again. "Maybe I do." He stroked his wet thumb over Achilles's swollen bud. "I won't tease you any more."

Achilles jerked in his arms, bucking like a startled deer as he finally reached his peak. Patroclus held him, intending to let his shaking calm, but Achilles wasn't sated. He pushed Patroclus down and sat astride him, grinding against him. 

"Achilles," Patroclus groaned softly.

"Take me," Achilles commanded, rubbing their heated flesh together, slick and urgent. "I want to forget her touch."

Patroclus held his hips tightly. "You're in heat," he murmured.

Achilles shook his head. "I don't care. I'd bear you a dozen children if it meant we were together."

"Achilles," Patroclus gasped, fingers clenching when a chance angle joined them for a split second. He didn't ask if Achilles was sure, because Achilles was sure of everything he said and did. Instead he folded his arms around Achilles's waist and angled his hips to push inside him. 

"Finally," Achilles gasped, pushing down against him with a satisfied groan. He tangled his fingers in Patroclus's hair again, tugging his head back so that they were eye to eye. "Don't stop," he whispered, rocking down against him. "Don't stop until I'm full of your knot."

Patroclus nodded, helpless to do anything but obey. Holding Achilles's hips tightly, he thrust up into him, and seeking out his mouth once more, kissed him hungrily. 

Their coupling was over quickly, but it was only the first of several attempts, each interspersed with laughter and teasing. Their reunion lasted until dawn, until they were both exhausted and spent, and finally fell asleep in each other's arms.

**Author's Note:**

> [find me on twitter](https://twitter.com/notallbees/status/1336436692895600644)
> 
> achilles: hey what if you knock me up so we don't have to go to war  
> patroclus: ...


End file.
